Means for disinfecting telephone-transmitter mouthpieces.



. PATENTED'NOV; 17., 1903. V M.GRIFFIN, ,s. 'SANKBR & -B. KEITH. MEANS FOR DISINFEGTIN-G TELEPHONE TRANSMITTER MOUTHPIEGES.-

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1903.

no 110mm.

UNITED STATES Patented November 17, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

MEANS FOR DISINFECTING TELEPHONE-TRANSMITTER MOUTHPIECES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,337, dated November 17, 1903.

" Application filed May 18,1903, Serial No. 157,724. (No model.)

1'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MAURIcE GRIFFIN, SYLvEsTER SANKER, and BOYD KEITH, citizens of the United States, residing at Riverside, in the county of Riverside and State of California, have invented new and useful Im provements in Means for Disinfecting Telephone Transmitter Mouthpieces, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Our invention relates to an apparatus which is applied to the mouthpiece of the transmitter of a telephone; and the object thereof is to provide an apparatus which will keep said mouthpiece disinfected and which can be easily applied thereto and removed therefrom. It frequently happens in careless speaking that saliva flies from the mouth of the person using theinstrument into the mouthpiece of the transmitter. Moisture also collects in said transmitter-mouthpiece from the breath of the person using the instrument, and when the person using the same should be afllicted with a contagious disease germs thereof are frequently deposited in said mouthpiece and oftentimes unpleasant odors arise therefrom. These things render a telephone which is fre-' quently used by different persons objectionable and disagreeable unless disinfected. In the device described herein, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, we have en deavored to provide a simple means for overcoming these objectionable features.

Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section, of our improved apparatus; and Fig.2 is a cross-section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

A is the lower and outer shell, the lower portion of which is designed to fitaround the outside of the mouthpiece H of the transmitter of the telephone. WVithin the upper portion of the outer shell is the upper and inner shell B, having in the lower portion thereof a channel B, provided with a plurality of perforations C. Within the channel B is an annular grooved ring D, provided with perforations E, which register with the perforations C of the inner shell. WVithin the groove of ring D is wick F for the reception of a disinfectant that will exude a vapor which will destroy any germs or odors that may lodge in the mouthpiece of the transmitter or in the apparatus. The ring D is provided with a pin G, which engages in an outwardly-ex tending groove A in the lower shell and prevents the inner ring from turning except with the lower shell. This groove extends to the top of the shell A, so that the shell 13 and ring can be readily withdrawn from the shell A, when a new wick F may be inserted in the ring D or disinfecting material may be applied to the wick F. When the telephone is not in use, by rotating slightly the shell B and keeping shell A stationary the perforations C may be carried out of register with the perforations of ring D, thereby preventing any waste of the disinfecting material. When wanted for use, these perforations are easily brought into register by slightly rotating shell B in shell A. By the foregoing apparatus a simple and effective means is provided to keep the mouthpiece of the telephone-transmitter always agreeable and sanitary, as the odor fromthe disinfecting material is pleasant and agreeable to most persons, if not all.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An apparatus for disinfecting the mouthpiece of a telephone-transmitter comprising an outer and lower shell adapted to fit around the mouthpiece of the transmitter and having a groove in the upper part thereof; an upper and inner shell adapted to fit within the upper part of said lower shell, having a channel in the lower part thereof, provided with a plurality of perforations; an annular grooved ring in said channel provided with perforations adapted to register with the perforations of the channel; said ring having a pin secured thereto projecting into a notch in the outer shell; a wick in said ring.

2. An apparatus for disinfecting the mouthpiece of a telephone-transmitter comprising an annular casing lIavinga chamber therein;

the inner Wall of which is perforated, said have hereunto subscribed our names this 9th 10 casing being adapted to be removably se- (lay of May, 1903. cured to the mouthpiece of atelephone-transmitter with the chamber above said mouth- 5 piece; means in said chamber adapted for the BOYD KEITH reception of a volatile disinfecting material; means to open and close the perforations in \Vitnesses: the Walls of the chamber of said casing. OSCAR H. KEISKER,

In witness that we claim the foregoing we' P. K. FRANKENHEIMER. 

